Pump sealing device

ABSTRACT

Described is a device ( 1 ) for sealing a power station pump. The device ( 1 ) includes a pump housing ( 10 ) with first and second ducts ( 15, 16 ) for passage of a fluid, and a shaft ( 20 ) including a first passage ( 51 ) for the fluid, a mechanical packing ( 70 ) mounted between the shaft ( 20 ) and the pump housing ( 10 ) and friction elements for rubbing-together a rotating part ( 71 ) and a stationary part ( 72 ).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) ofco-pending FR Patent Application Number 1255283 entitled “PUMP SEALINGDEVICE” filed Jun. 6, 2012, the substantially identical disclosure ofwhich is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This relates to a pump sealing device. More specifically, it relates toa device for sealing a pump of a nuclear power station. It may alsorelate to a fossil fuel power station, notably one producing electricityby burning coal, oil or natural gas. In the case of a nuclear powerstation, it is a pump the function of which is to send water to heaterssituated before the inlet to the reactor.

BACKGROUND

The thermal barrier function and function of cooling the frictionelements of mechanical packing are performed by tappings (ducts with(an) inlet(s) and (an) outlet(s) that feed certain zones are defined astappings) arranged in the pump housing, the mechanical packing and inthe fluid header if there is one. Existing techniques make maintenancedifficult because piping has first of all to be removed. Moreover,having numerous tappings in standard components increases costs, notablybecause of the need to make the holes and weld on the supply piping.Furthermore, the cooling water comes from two different circuits, namelyan auxiliary cooling circuit used for the thermal barrier function andanother circuit for cooling the friction elements of the mechanicalpacking using water from the pump and an external heat exchanger.

Such devices make sealing-device maintenance difficult in so far as thetappings are made in the mechanical packing and in the pump housing.

That being the case, the problem set here is that of producing a pumpsealing device of the abovementioned type, which is of simpleconstruction and facilitates maintenance of said device and improves thelife of the device. The present invention also seeks to combine twofunctions into one and the same single sealing device where there isjust one cooling circuit the purpose of which is to cool the frictionelements of the mechanical packing and to form a thermal barrier thatprotects the mechanical packing from heat, so as to lengthen the life ofthe device. The mechanical packing provides sealing at the end of ashaft and on the outside of the pump housing. The temperature of themechanical packing and of the water flowing near the mechanical packingmust not exceed a threshold temperature, conventionally 100° C. Now,typically, the water circulating through the pump is at a temperature ofaround 200° C. Bearing in mind the mechanical properties of the packingand notably of the stationary and rotating face rings (the stationaryand rotating friction elements of the mechanical packing are defined asthe stationary and rotating face rings) and how they are arranged in thesealing device, it is important to protect them from excessive heat inorder to protect them from degradation. What happens is that an exchangeof heat by conduction between the pump housing and the mechanicalpacking may impair correct operation of the seal and notably may impairsealing at the point between the stationary face ring and the rotatingface ring. Moreover, friction between the rotating part of themechanical packing defined by the rotating face ring of the packing onthe one hand, and the stationary part defined by the stationary facering of the packing on the other hand, dissipates energy in the form ofheat, leading to a rise in temperature and to premature wear of thestationary and rotating face rings. Thus, in order to lengthen the lifeof the mechanical packing, provision is made for the mechanical packingto be cooled at the places where the friction occurs, namely at thatpoint in the mechanical packing and, more specifically, at the pointwhere there is relative motion between the rotating face ring and thestationary face ring.

Furthermore, the present invention seeks notably to optimize themaintenance of the sealing device and to lengthen the life of thesealing device. Another object of the present invention is to reduce thenumber of components that make up the sealing device and at the sametime to reduce the costs of manufacturing a pump sealing device.

The solution proposed by the present invention is that the device forsealing a pump comprises:

-   -   a pump housing comprising first and second ducts for the passage        of a fluid;    -   a shaft comprising, near the pump housing, a first passage for        the fluid;    -   a mechanical packing mounted between the shaft and the pump        housing and comprising friction elements for the        rubbing-together of a rotating part and of a stationary part,    -   said device having two states, a shut down first state in which        no fluid circulates through said device and an operating second        state in which the fluid flows in a flow circuit passing via:    -   the first passage to supply the circuit with fluid,    -   a second passage comprised between the pump housing and the        packing and communicating with said friction elements, the        second passage then forming a means of cooling the friction        elements and a thermal barrier,    -   the first duct to supply the second passage with cooled fluid,    -   the second duct to remove the hot fluid from the second passage.

Such an arrangement advantageously allows maintenance to be made easierand allows the life of the sealing device to be lengthened while at thesame time reducing the number of components that make up the device andthe cost of manufacturing such a component. The pump housing, the shaftand the mechanical packing together incorporate a means of cooling thefriction elements and a thermal barrier, which therefore need to besupplied with fluid. The present invention proposes using a singlecircuit to supply both the means for cooling the friction elements andthe thermal barrier via the second passage. Some of the fluidcirculating through the second passage has the function of cooling themechanical packing adjacent to this second passage, so as to lower thetemperature of the friction elements therefore allowing pump usage withno risk of leakage; this then prevents pump water from coming intocontact with the external surroundings. Another proportion of the fluidcirculating through the second passage has the function of forming athermal barrier so as to protect the packing, notably the frictionelements thereof, from the heat dissipated by the pump housing andcaused by the hot water circulating through said pump.

The flow circuit followed by the fluid advantageously makes it possibleto reduce the number of components of which the device is made. Morespecifically, all the arrangements of pump housing, shaft and packing,correlated with the fluid circuit offers the benefit of a reduced numberof components while at the same time offering optimized means ofprotecting the packing and the friction elements thereof.

In one embodiment, a first chamber extends radially between the packingand the pump housing and axially between the cover and a fourth passage.

In one embodiment, the device might comprise a second chamber comprisedbetween the pump housing on the one hand and the packing on the otherand might define, in the operating state, a second thermal barrier.

In another embodiment, the above-mentioned second chamber is bounded:

-   -   radially, by the shaft and a bore formed in the pump housing,    -   axially, by the packing and the pump housing.

In another embodiment, a gap runs longitudinally between the shaft andthe pump housing, said gap running circumferentially and defining, inthe operating state, a third thermal barrier.

In yet another embodiment, the pump housing might comprise a thirdpassage providing communication between said second and third thermalbarriers.

In another embodiment of the invention, the third passage immediatelyfaces, in the axial direction, the lateral part of the stationary facering.

In another embodiment, a first passage between the shaft and the pumphousing is intended for circulating the fluids from the pump toward thegap.

In one embodiment, the second passage might comprise said first andsecond chambers, the fourth passage, a third passage providingcommunication between the second chamber and the gap, and the gap.

In yet another embodiment, the second operating state is triggered bythe shaft beginning to rotate.

In another embodiment of the invention, the sealing device furthercomprises a fluid-cooling device connected to first and second ducts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE

Other features and advantages will become further apparent from thedescription given hereinafter, by way of entirely nonlimitingindication, with reference to the attached drawing in which:

the FIGURE shows half of a cross section through one example of asealing device according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Two sealing devices 1 are provided to prevent pressurized hot water fromgetting out into the external atmosphere while at the same time notimpeding the rotation of a shaft 20. Each of the two sealing devices 1is positioned at each exit of the shaft 20. the FIGURE depicts just onedevice 1.

Each of the devices 1 comprises:

-   -   a pump housing 10 which contains pressurized hot water and        energy recuperation components;    -   a rotary shaft 20 supporting the impellor the vanes of which        impart motor power to this hot water, said shaft 20 emerging        from the housing 10 on each side to rest on bearings; one of its        ends is coupled to a drive system, not depicted; the exits of        the shaft 20 are sealed by sealing devices 1;    -   a cover 40 fixing a mechanical packing 70 to the pump, and more        specifically to the inside of the pump housing 10; it is fixed        to the pump housing 10 by fixing means;    -   a mechanical packing 70 comprising a rotating face ring 71 and a        stationary face ring 72 defining friction elements which        respectively constitute a rotating part 71 and a stationary part        72;    -   the rotating face ring 71 rotating with the shaft 20 and in        surface-to-surface contact with the stationary face ring 72;        sealing occurring at the interface between these two face rings;    -   the stationary face ring 72, kept pressed against the rotating        face ring 71, may have the ability to move only translationally;    -   a rotating face ring carrier, holding the rotating face ring 71;    -   a non-rotating face ring carrier, holding the stationary face        ring 72 and allowing the face ring 72 to move in a translational        movement;    -   a mechanical packing liner, connected to the shaft 20; this        constitutes a wall of the mechanical packing 70 in contact with        the shaft 20 while protecting it.

The sealing device 1 is intended to be positioned between the rotaryshaft 20 and the pump housing 10. More specifically, the device 1 isarranged at the exit of the shaft 20, outside the pump housing 10, so asto prevent pressurized hot water circulating in the pump housing 10 fromflowing out of said housing 10. Furthermore, the sealing device 1, therotary shaft 20 and the pump housing 10 are arranged together in such away as not to impede the rotation of the shaft 20 with respect to thepump housing 10. The shaft 20 rotates about an axis 20 a.

The mechanical packing 70, defining a sealing means, is fitted to thesealing device 1. The mechanical packing 70 comprises said stationarysealing face ring 72 connected in a fluidtight manner to the pumphousing 10 and said rotating sealing face ring 71 connected in afluidtight manner to the rotary shaft 20. When the shaft 20 rotatesabout its axis 20 a, the rotating face ring 71 rubs against thestationary face ring 72 over an annular friction surface. The stationaryface ring 72 and the rotating face ring 71 each respectively has:radially outer surfaces and radially inner surfaces. At least a portionof the radially outer surfaces communicate with a first chamber 120defining an exchange zone. The first chamber 120, defining an exchangezone, is comprised between that part of the packing 70 that is orientedradially toward the outside and the pump housing 10; this first chamber120 is adjacent to the friction elements formed by the stationary facering 72 and rotating face ring 71. In the operating state, the firstchamber 120 contains a fluid for cooling the friction elements. When thecircuit is in the operating state and when the first chamber 120contains a cooled fluid, then a first thermal barrier 31 runs betweenthe packing 70 and the housing 10, said first thermal barrier beingformed by the first chamber 120 filled with a fluid. Preferably, thefirst chamber 120 runs radially between the packing 70 and the pumphousing 10 and axially between the cover 40 and a fourth passage 14 b.

The device 1 may comprise face ring pressing means to press thestationary face ring 72 and the rotating face ring 71 axially againstone another. The purpose of these means is to maintain contact betweenthe stationary face ring 72 and the rotating face ring 71.

In one embodiment of the invention, the cover 40 defines a cap.According to this embodiment, the cover 40 is arranged between the pumphousing 10 and the mechanical packing 70—straddling the pump housing 10and the packing 70. Its purpose is to incorporate the mechanical packing70 within the pump housing 10 and then hold it fixedly in position.

The arrangements of ducts, passages and tappings in the pump housing 10,and between the pump housing 10 and the shaft 20, notably in the regionof the packing 70, have two main functions

-   -   to form a thermal barrier 30 between the pump housing 10 and the        mechanical packing 70;    -   to cool the mechanical packing 70 and more specifically the        stationary face ring 72 and the rotating face ring 71.

Thus, the circulation of a fluid through the aforementioned ducts isaimed essentially at protecting the mechanical packing 70 from externalharm, notably the harmful effects of heat, and to lengthen its life.

Preferably, the thermal barrier 30 is made up of the first thermalbarrier 31, of the second thermal barrier 32 and of the third thermalbarrier 33.

The pump housing 10 comprises first and second tappings 12, 13communicating respectively with first and second ducts 15, 16. The firsttapping 12 and the first duct together supply the thermal barrier 31 andthe friction elements 71, 72 with cooled fluid, while the second tapping13 and the second duct 16 together remove the hot fluid contained in thethird thermal barrier 33.

According to an embodiment that has not been depicted, by means of asuitable arrangement of the cover 40 with the pump housing 10, the firstduct 15 communicates with a third duct arranged in the cover 40. Thisthird duct communicates with the first chamber 120. Arranged in thisway, the first duct 15 and the third duct supply the first chamber 120with fluid, and this causes the stationary face ring 72 and the rotatingface ring 71 to be immersed in a fluid for cooling purposes.

The first chamber 120 defines a radial space between the packing 70 andan internal wall of the housing 10. The second chamber 130 defines anaxial space between the housing 10 and the packing 70. As shown in theFIGURE, the second chamber 130 is radially bounded by the shaft 20 and abore formed in the pump housing 10; it is bounded axially, over aportion of a first side of said second chamber, by the mechanicalpacking and possibly by a wall of the pump housing 10 and, over aportion of a second side of said second chamber, by the pump housing 10.This second chamber 130 comprises, on its first side, a fourth passage14 b (also referred to as the first chamber passage) forming acommunication between the first chamber 120 and the second chamber 130,and on its second side a third passage 14 a (also referred to as thesecond chamber passage) forming a communication between the secondchamber 130 and the gap 140.

In the operating state, the fluid contained in the first chamber 120will therefore flow into the fourth passage 14 b before completely orpartially filling the second thermal barrier 32 defined by theaforementioned second chamber. the FIGURE shows us that the thermalbarriers 31, 32 are substantially annular in shape.

The second thermal barrier 32 communicates with a third thermal barrier33 via a third passage 14 a arranged in the pump housing 10. The thirdpassage 14 a immediately, in the axial direction, faces the lateral partof the stationary face ring 72; further, the third passage 14 a and thelateral part of the stationary face ring 72 are separated from thesecond thermal barrier 32.

The third passage 14 a communicates with a gap 140 runningcircumferentially along the shaft 20. As depicted in the FIGURE, the gap140 runs between the pump housing 10 and the rotary shaft 20. In theoperating state, the fluid contained in the second thermal barrier 32will therefore circulate toward the gap 140 via the third passage 14 ain order to ensure continuity with the second thermal barrier 32 andprevent heat from being transferred from the pump housing 10 to theshaft 20. When filled with fluid, the gap 140 defines a third thermalbarrier 33.

The second tapping 13 is arranged in the pump housing 10. It runsbetween the gap 140 and an exterior surface of the pump and allows hotfluid to be removed to outside the mechanical assembly formed by thepump housing 10, the packing 70 and the shaft 20 and possibly the cover40. Preferably, the hot fluid is discharged to a fluid cooling device,of the heat exchanger type.

In one embodiment, in order to supply the cooling circuit with fluid,use is made of a first passage 51 (also referred to as a supply passage)between the rotary shaft 20 and the bore of the pump housing 10. Morespecifically, fluid from the pump can flow to the gap 140 (also referredto as a third chamber), said gap 140 and said first passagecommunicating with one another. In this embodiment, the cooling circuitis supplied via the fluid removed from the pump. Thus, the device 1 hastwo states: a shut down first state in which no fluid circulates throughthe device 1, and an operating second state in which the fluid follows aflow circuit passing via:

-   -   the first passage 51 in order to supply the circuit with fluid,    -   a second passage comprised between the pump housing 10, the        packing 70 and the shaft 20, and communicating with the friction        elements, the second passage then forming a means for cooling        the friction elements and a thermal barrier 30,    -   the first tapping 12 to supply the second passage with cooled        fluid,    -   the second tapping 13 to remove the hot fluid from the second        passage.

In the shut down first state, the water from the pump is in all the gaps120, 130, 140, 14 a, 14 b. In the operating second state, rotation ofthe shaft 20 allows the circuit supplying the packing 70 and the thermalbarriers 31, 32, 33 to begin to circulate.

Furthermore, it should be emphasized that fluid from the pump flows, inan unwanted manner, between the shaft 20 and the pump housing 10 at thepassage 51. Provision is therefore made to put this fluid to good use bymaking it flow through the circuit. The leakage between the pump housing10 and the shaft 20 then becomes advantageous.

Preferably, the second passage comprises the first chamber 120, thefourth passage 14 b, the second chamber 130, the third passage 14 a andthe gap 140.

In one embodiment, the second passage might, and this list is notexhaustive, comprise: the first chamber 120 cooling the frictionelements in a fluid and defining the first thermal barrier 31, thesecond chamber 130 defining the second thermal barrier 32, and the gap140 defining the third thermal barrier 33. The fourth passage 14 bprovides communication between the first and second chambers 120, 130.The fourth passage 14 b provides communication between the first thermalbarrier 31 and the second thermal barrier 32. The third passage 14 aprovides communication between the second thermal barrier 32 defined bythe second chamber 130 and the third thermal barrier 33 defined by thegap 140.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A device for sealing a power station pump,said device comprising: a pump housing comprising first and second ductsfluidly connected together by a first chamber with a passage, a secondchamber with a passage and radially bounded by a shaft, and a thirdchamber, each arranged between the first and second ducts for passage ofa fluid there through, with the first chamber and the third chamberarranged radially at differing distances from the shaft, and the secondchamber arranged axially between the first chamber and the third chamberwith the first chamber and the third chamber arranged at opposite axialends of the second chamber with the first chamber arranged at a first ofthe opposite axial ends of the second chamber and arranged a firstradial distance from the shaft, and the third chamber arranged at asecond of the opposite axial ends of the second chamber and bound by theshaft; a third duct arranged in a pump housing cover, the pump housingcover fixing a stationary face ring of a mechanical packing to the pumphousing, wherein the third duct communicates with the first duct and thefirst chamber, and wherein the passages of the first and second chambersare substantially smaller than the first, second, and third chambers;the shaft arranged near the pump housing with a supply passage arrangedtherebetween fluidly connected to the third chamber and supplying fluidto the third chamber, and wherein the shaft has a sleeve attachedthereto, the sleeve holding a rotating face ring of the mechanicalpacking; and the mechanical packing mounted on an outer side of the pumphousing between the shaft and the pump housing to provide a sealtherebetween, with said stationary and rotating face rings of saidmechanical packing for cooperating via rubbing-together, and with thefirst chamber bound by the pump housing, the pump housing cover, thesleeve of the shaft, and the mechanical packing; with said device havingtwo states, a shutdown first state in which no fluid circulates throughsaid device and an operating second state in which the fluid flows in aflow circuit passing, in order, from the first duct, to the firstchamber, to the first chamber passage, to the second chamber, to thesecond chamber passage, to the third chamber with a supply of fluidflowing into the third chamber from the supply passage, and to thesecond duct; with the first duct, the third duct, and the supply passagesupplying cooled fluid to the device, and the second duct removing hotfluid from the device.
 2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein thefirst chamber extends radially between the mechanical packing and thepump housing and axially between the pump housing cover and the firstchamber passage.
 3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the firstchamber extends radially between the mechanical packing and the pumphousing and axially between the pump housing cover and the first chamberpassage to define a first thermal barrier, and the second chamberextends between the pump housing and the mechanical packing to define asecond thermal barrier.
 4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein thefirst chamber extends radially between the mechanical packing and thepump housing and axially between the pump housing cover and the firstchamber passage, and the second chamber extends radially between theshaft and the pump housing and axially between the sleeve of the shaftand the second chamber passage.
 5. The device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the third chamber extends radially between the shaft and thepump housing and axially between the second chamber passage and thesupply passage to define a third thermal barrier.
 6. The device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the third chamber extends between the shaftand the pump housing.
 7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein thesealing device further comprises a fluid-cooling device connectedbetween the first duct and the second duct.
 8. The device as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the device is arranged to direct fluid leaked betweenthe pump housing and the shaft to flow in the flow circuit.